Wikus heading back to Lions den
Posted by Boertjie - 18/01/10 at 02:01 pm under SA Unions / TeamsWorld Cup-winning Springbok Wikus van Heerden has re-signed with the Golden Lions, just days after he announced his departure from English Premiership club Saracens.
The Golden Lions Rugby Union announced on Monday that Van Heerden, a former Lions captain, has signed with the union for two years – from July 1 till 31 October 2012.
Van Heerden, or ‘captain courageous’ as he was commonly referred to, announced last Friday that he made the ‘personal decision’ to return home to South Africa early.
He often captained the Guinness Premiership high-flyers and his performances on the pitch, as well as his involvement with the club off it, have been highly praised. Speaking about his decision, Van Heerden insisted that from a rugby perspective he was loving being a part of the Saracens squad, but that he felt that the time was right for him to return home.
He left the Golden Lions at the end of the 2006 Currie Cup competition to join the Bulls – where he won a Super 14 title in 2007 – and thereafter moved to Saracens. He will remain at Saracens until the end of their season, on June 30, before moving back to Johannesburg.
Van Heerden said he is very excited about returning to the Lions.
“Since my time at the Lions I have grown as a player and have gathered much experience at both the Bulls and Saracens,” Van Heerden said.
“I am hoping to utilize this experience and make an impact when I join the Lions later this year.”
GLRU officials said they are “very excited” about signing Van Heerden, who has spent most of his formative rugby career with the Johannesburg-based team.
“It’s always good to sign a new player, but when it’s a former star player returning, it makes it a little more special, GLRU Chief Executive Manie Reyneke said.
“The return of Wikus is exciting, and we see this as just one more step in the right direction for the GLRU.”
Van Heerden, in explaining why he chose the Lions over other teams, said the Johannesburg outfit has always been a “very special” to him.
“I spent nine years at the Lions, before moving over to the Bulls. At that stage I needed a change. With all the changes at the Lions now and with the new people appointed, this is an exciting and ideal opportunity for me to make the most of what is left of my rugby career.
“And who knows, maybe I can be a part of a winning Super 14 or Currie Cup team while at the Lions.”
Van Heerden will join the Lions ahead of the 2010 Currie Cup, where he is expected to be a regular in the starting 15.
January 18th, 2010 at 2:53 pm
“And who knows, maybe I can be a part of a winning Super 14 or Currie Cup team while at the Lions.”
===============
Hmmm.
Hoop in die een hand, kak in
die ander hand, en wat gee dit
jou?
Antwoord: ‘n Hoop kak.
January 18th, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Goeie koop vir die Lions
January 18th, 2010 at 3:37 pm
Oh thank buggery for that! The Captain is back! Here’s hoping for 3rd or 4th last in the Super 14 this year!!
January 18th, 2010 at 3:39 pm
Reply to asteroth @ 3:37 pm:
He is only joining for the CC.
January 18th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:53 pm:
Skerp!
January 18th, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:39 pm: Well that will help them nothing
January 18th, 2010 at 4:20 pm
Reply to Morné @ 3:39 pm: Bollocks
January 18th, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Ja only joins July 2010….
Demmit
January 18th, 2010 at 4:42 pm
Not that he would make a huge difference…but then the Lions was always a one man show.
January 18th, 2010 at 4:55 pm
Reply to Jacques(Bunny) @ 4:42 pm:
And the man never showed up.
January 18th, 2010 at 5:04 pm
“And who knows, maybe I can be a part of a winning Super 14 or Currie Cup team while at the Lions.”
bliksem, i think that is what one calls positive thinking…
January 18th, 2010 at 5:35 pm
Reply to cab @ 5:04 pm: Maybe they need some of that
January 18th, 2010 at 5:36 pm
Reply to Jacques(Bunny) @ 5:35 pm:
hehe..ja maybe
January 18th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I really hold thumbs for the welpies they have been down and out for to long
January 18th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
shit this is good buy. Wicus has real old school values that he can bring to the table. Both Muir and Wicus are humble people (the opposite of what you WP okes sit with) and I will not be surprised if the lions improve steadily from hereon in.
Humiltity has always been Cheetahs strong suit (even though we needed a bit of Rassie/Ollie arrogance to get us out of our yes bos slumber).
But a humble team with money is a dangerous animal, like Sharks were in the 90’s
January 18th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Reply to Jacques(Bunny) @ 5:43 pm:
2 CC finals (although losing) since 2003 is a bit better than what you lot have managed in the same period…
January 20th, 2010 at 7:48 am
So the police have managed to bring crime under control in Jo’burg. It is safe again to open retirement villages.